


Daffodils, Mugs, and Rising From the Ashes

by orphan_account



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, enhanced!reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 18:15:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11995293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: You and Bucky always eat breakfast at the same time everyday, and everyday you invite him to spend time with you, and everyday he turns you down, until he doesn't. FLUFF FLUFF FLUFFby https://criminallygoodimagines.tumblr.com/





	Daffodils, Mugs, and Rising From the Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> I have had this idea in my head for ages and I finally typed it up. I still feel like its a bit rough and doesntt flow very well but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ as usual feedback is greatly appreciated! Feel free to reblog!! If anyone wants to draw Bucky in the gardening scene that would be great. I also suck at titles.

 “Hey Buckster,” You greet Bucky Barnes as you enter the kitchen of the Avenger’s tower one morning.

             “Hello,” He says, his signature frown on his face at your nick name for him as he looks up from the paper he was reading.

             “It supposed to be warmer today, I’m going for a walk around the park, would you like to come with me?” Going to grab your favorite mug for your coffee, you found that it was on the highest shelf. Cursing whoever emptied the dishwasher last, you attempted to stand on your tip toes to reach it, but couldn’t. “Buckster, will you do me a favor and grab my mug for me?” He nodded, moving over to you and reaching the cub with ease. “Thank you. So, what do you say about the walk.”

             “No thank you,” He said simply before returning to his breakfast and paper.

             Every morning you planned something to do, walk, attending to your flower garden on the top level of the tower, or Sundays and Wednesdays it was the farmer’s market, sometimes it was to read outside, other times a run, anything that you could invite Bucky along to. You had been doing it since about a week after he arrived, which was about three months ago, now. Every morning you ate breakfast at the same time as him, and every morning you’d ask if he wanted to do something with you, and every morning he would say ‘no, thank you.’ Then, every morning you would sit down and talk to him, well,  _at_  him, while you both ate or drank coffee.          

             “I know Clint calls me hot-head for the pun, but it just doesn’t make sense, I am a relatively calm person, I think.” You rant to a non-responsive Bucky about the nickname that Clint gave you. Being an Enhanced with the ability to summon and control fire it came the opportunity for a multitude of puns, all of which the team would take advantage of. You enjoyed the joking for the most part but sometimes it made you a bit upset because you were self-conscious about your enhancement, feeling that fire was far too destructive of an element for yourself. “Anyways, have a good day Buckster.” Hoping off the stool at the breakfast bar, you rinsed out your mug and put it in the drying rack just as Sam and Steve walked in from their morning run.

             “Goodness, it’s hot.” Sam commented, both of them with sweat stains down their shirts.

             “Don’t worry, I’m leaving.” You tease, waving as you walk out the door. You swore you heard a stifled chuckle from Bucky.

* * *

             “Good morning, Bucko,” You grin at Bucky the next day, walking into the kitchen and making your way to the cabinets as usual, “How was your yesterday?”

             “Fine.” He responded shortly, glancing up from the paper.

             “Damn it, who the hell keeps putting my mug on the tallest shelf?” You mutter as you attempt to grab your mug again on your very tip toes. Before you could turn around to grab a chair, you felt the presence of someone right behind you and saw a metal arm reach out in front of you and grab the mug for you. “Thank you,” You grinned up at him as you took it from his hand once he held it out for you. “I’m going to the farmer’s market today, I was thinking about getting some fresh flowers to brighten up the place in here and possibly some veggies, wanna come with?” With a fluttering in your stomach at how close he was standing to you, you took another shot in the dark, prepared for disappointment.

             “Sure,” Bucky nodded once.

             A look of surprise washed over your face for a moment but it was quickly replaced with a grin so bright it rivaled the sun. “Awesome! We can go after breakfast?” You ask, practically jumping with excitement. He nods, a corner of his lip quirking up in what you believe to be a smile.

             After you practically shot gun your cup of coffee you quickly change out of your pajamas and grab your bag, you meet Bucky back in the kitchen. You spend most of the walk to the park where the farmer’s market was in comfortable silence. “What is your favorite type of flower?” You ask as you near the tents and spot the flower stand.            

             “I don’t know,” Was all the answer you got, but you smiled anyways, mentally picking out the type of flower you were going to get for him.

             You hummed to yourself as you stood in front of the buckets of beautiful plants, finger held to your lip in thought as you decided which types would be best where in the tower. “Do you like these for the kitchen?” You ask, pointing to a particular type and looking to Bucky and only receiving a shrug in response, “Yeah, you’re right, they won’t work, far too flippant.” Looking around for a more appropriate bouquet you miss the smile that graces his lips at your comment. After choosing what you felt to be a sufficient number of flowers you gathered them up in your arms and paid the vendor.

             It wasn’t hard to notice the stares that you were getting, of course you would be recognized, you were part of the Avengers. But every time Bucky got noticeably uncomfortable with people’s heads turning to look at you, you redirected the conversation to take his mind off of it.

             “Would you like some help carrying those?” He asked after noticing you struggling to balance all of the floral arrangements as you picked out vegetables.

             “Oh heavens, yes please.” You sigh in relief and smile as you hand over about half of them. When your hands brush each other you see his eyes flick to look at you but you just keep your attention on the flowers, not wanting to make him think that it wasn’t okay. You realize afterward that this is the first time you’ve ever touched him.

             “Why do you like flower so much? You always talk about them when you ask me to come with you here, and your garden.” Bucky speaks up as you begin walking back to the tower.

             “Well, I suppose it has to do with what I feel fire  _is_ , which is annihilation and destruction, so I like something that’s the opposite of that. I like to surround myself with life and growth because maybe it’ll cancel out in the long run.” You try to sound nonchalant as you admit something you had never said aloud, let alone to anyone else. Bucky stays silent, but you know that in his silence there is understanding.

“I picked these out for you.” You say quickly after you return to the tower and set all the purchases down and holding out a grouping of daffodils. “Daffodils symbolize rebirth and new beginnings, just as we, The Avengers, are for you.” You left out the other specific things those flowers also meant.

             “Thank you, Y/N.” He tried his best to smile at you as he watched you carefully arranges the flowers in vases and put them in various places around the tower. He noticed he was the only person who got his own personal bouquet.

* * *

             “FRIDAY?” Asks as he lays flat on his back in his bed, unable to fall asleep.

             “Yes, Mr. Barnes?” The AI answers back.

             “Look up Daffodil flower meaning,” He stated, before quickly adding a “please” at the end. While he did have to use technology a bit in his years working for Hydra, he was still confused as to how to navigate the world-wide web, so he mostly turned to FRIDAY to answer his questions.

             “Daffodils symbolize chivalry, rebirth, and since they are the first flower to boom in spring, they are considered symbolize the end of winter.” FRIDAY answers back smoothly. Bucky smiles at this, it was perfect. He knew that Y/N knew enough about flowers to know the full meaning. His heart swelled with happiness and affection, she specifically chose ones that not only meant rebirth, as she had defined them, but ones that specifically marked the end of winter, and gave them to him. But he was drawn from these thoughts when the AI’s Irish lilt filled the silence of his room once again, “To a lesser degree they are known as the flower of unrequited love.” Bucky’s heart beat sped up at this and his head swam. Had Y/N meant it that way? If he were to think she just didn’t know, he would be contradicting his earlier thought of that she knew flowers and their meanings well. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Barnes?”

             “No, thank you.” He croaks out. He lay there for the rest of the night, thoughts running too fast to let him find peaceful sleep.

* * *

              Bucky didn’t realize he had fallen asleep until he woke up. Late, much to his dissatisfaction. It was only about half an hour later than when he normally woke up. Walking quickly down the hall he cursed to himself, he liked to be in the kitchen before you so he could see you scuffle in, wish him good morning in your far-too-chipper-for-how-early-it-was voice, and invite him to whatever it was you were doing that day, and more recently, help you grab your mug from the top shelf of the cabinets.

             As he neared the kitchen he heard the sound of glass shattering followed immediately by a loud thud and an ‘oof’. Running into the room, he finds you on the floor, seemingly haven fallen off the counter, mug broken.

             “Hey there, Buck-aroni, mind giving a girl a hand?” You groan, trying to push yourself up.

             Bucky moves to your side to help you, “You’re bleeding,” He comments when he sees that the shattered mug had left ceramic bits sticking out of the side of your arm and leg as he pulls you to your feet. So preoccupied with worry, he fails to see the blush spreading across your cheeks at the close contact.

             “Oh great,” You mutter, hissing in pain as you attempt to pull a particularly large shard from your thigh.

             “I can help, I’ll go get a first aid kit.” When Bucky returned, first aid box in hand, you were sitting on a stool and attempting to pull more pieces. “Stop that.” He ordered softly, moving your hand away so he could begin pulling them out more carefully with the tweezers.

             “That was my favorite mug.” You huff between curses as he began carefully working on cleaning you up, “I was trying to get it from the top shelf so I climbed on the counter, but it was wet and I slipped.”

             “Why didn’t you grab a chair or wait for me to get it for you?” He glances up at you, guilt settling in his stomach.

             “I was too lazy to get a chair and I didn’t want to hassle you. Plus you might have been sleeping in.” You shrug.

             “Good morning Inferno, Frosty- oh god what happened here?” Tony asks as he enters the kitchen to fill his mug. You doubt he slept, based on the caffeine-wired look and dark circles under his eyes.

             “I fell,” You say with a roll of your eyes. You hated your title, and everyone knew that. Being an enhanced, you came from Hydra, a different branch than Bucky, so you hadn’t crossed paths at all. You joined the Avengers a few months before he did, and right away you had expressed your dislike of your name.

             “Oh right, sorry about that. Say, why don’t you like Inferno again?” Tony asked, leaning against the counter.

             “An Inferno is defined as huge, out of control, fire, or simply, as Hell, because I was designed to reign hell down upon Hydra’s enemies. I don’t want to be Hell.” You replied simply, though there was an edge to your tone.

             Bucky glanced up at you, this being the first time you had ever explained your hatred of your title, and your reasoning resonated deep with him.

             “Well, how about we come up with a new one for you.” Tony shrugged, sipping his coffee.

             “What are we coming up with a new one of?” Steve asked as he entered the kitchen after his morning run with Sam. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Bucky crouched in front of you, gauze in hand.

             “I couldnt reach my mug so I stood on the counter to get it and slipped getting off and broke it, thus why I have mug shards in my arm and leg.” You answer his unspoken question, thinking it was directed at why you were hurt rather than the true meaning of as to why Bucky was the one helping you. Little did you know, when Steve and Bucky were alone, you were pretty much all Bucky could talk about. Yesterday, Steve swore the only things that came out of his best friend’s mouth were about your trip to the farmer’s market and how happy he was you gave him flowers. “But Tony suggested we come up with a new like code name for me, since I despise Inferno so much.”

             “That’s a great idea! How about Blaze? That sounds cool?” Steve offered, grabbing food from the fridge.

             You shook your head, wincing slightly as Bucky cleaned a larger cut. “That makes me sound like I’m a stoner or something.”

             “Stoner?” Steve frowns in confusion and you just shake your head to say ‘you don’t wanna know.’

             “Combustion?” Tony suggests thoughtfully, “Flaming flammable person? Magma?”

             “What about Phoenix?” Bucky asks suddenly, looking up as he wraps the final cut with a Band-Aid. “This is your new life, rising from the ashes of what Hydra made you,”

             “I love it.” You grin, nodding, “That’s perfect.”

             Bucky smiles slightly, and Steve nods in approval of it as well, all while Tony walks away muttering about three people in the Avengers now with bird-related names.

             “I was going to go work in the garden this morning but seeing as it hurts to move and I have a mission coming up and need to heal, I think I’m going to watch a movie. Want to join me, Buck-aroni?” You ask as you push yourself off the bench gingerly.

             “Yeah,” He nods once, and you smile in response before leaving to go pick out a movie in the other room.

             “Buck-aroni?” Steve asks, smirking.

             “Steve.” Bucky warns, shooting his friend a good-natured glare.

             “I think it’s cute, the nicknames,” His best friend shrugs in response, “I’m glad to see you’re finally taking her up on her offers to spend time with you.”

             “What do you mean?”

             “Every morning without fail she asks you to do something, no matter how many times you turn it down, you got to like someone to do that. We’ve all seen it, so don’t even deny it, so she obviously wants to spend time with you, and I’m glad you started doing it.” Steve shrugs, taking a bite of the toast he made.

             Before Bucky could response his attention is pulled away by you calling his name to join you in the movie room.

* * *

              “Good Morning, Buckaroo,” You wave at him before going to the cupboard to steal someone else’s mug for the day until you went to the store to get a new one.

             This morning Bucky had made sure to be there before you, a small box with a ribbon in hand.

             “I have something for you,” He avoided making eye contact and he seemed nervous, which made you frown. As he held out the box, you took it carefully.

             “Bucky, you didn’t have to get me anything.” You say as you carefully untie the ribbon and open the box. Inside was a new mug, covered in vintage style flowers. “Oh, this is wonderful, thank you!” Setting the cup down you move across the table to pull him into a tight hug. Bucky stiffens at first but then wraps his arms around your waist.

             “Am I interrupting something?” Sam says teasingly as he enters the room, Steve not far behind him.

             “Oh no, Bucky just got me a new mug because I broke mine yesterday, isn’t is pretty?” You pull away from Bucky and hold up the mug. While you admiring the details of the flowers you missed the knowing smirks that Steve and Sam shot Bucky, and the blush that rose to his cheeks in response.

             “Oh, Buckaroo, I’m working in the garden today and could use some help, want to join me?” You ask over your shoulder, pouring yourself a coffee.

             “Of course.”

* * *

              You quickly pulled out your phone to snap a picture of the moment. You and Bucky had just finished weeding and potting new plants in your garden and were gearing up to head back inside, but the picture perfect moment was too much to pass up. His hair was pulled up with a hair band, a flower tucked behind his ear from when you placed it there earlier, dirt smeared on his face, and neon pink gardening gloves on his hands. 

             “Smile!” You command with a laugh, holding up your phone. He didn’t have enough time to think of what he was doing before he flashed you a dazzling smile that made your heart flutter.

              ‘Well, I have my new wallpaper.’ You think to yourself as you grin down at your phone.

* * *

             “Steven Grant Rogers, stop putting my mug on the top shelf! Unlike you, I am a short person who can’t reach it!” You yell as you walk into the kitchen that night and find Steve emptying the dish washer.

             “I don’t put your mug on the top shelf, I always put it on the bottom.” He puts his hands up as if in surrender before pointing to your mug. And sure enough, it was on the bottom shelf of the cupboard.

             “Then how does it get to the top shelf every morning?” You frown, crossing your arms.

             “I was on a mission a few days ago and someone else emptied it, maybe they did.” He shrugs before returning to putting the dishes away.

             Opening a screen located inside the island, you try to remember the first day it was on the top shelf. “FRIDAY, pull of video of the kitchen from four nights ago, fast forward.” Steve comes and stands beside you as you watch the playback of the night sped up. “Normal speed.” You order as you watch Bucky come on screen and begin putting the dishes away, and sure enough, puts your mug on the top shelf. “What a little shit, I asked him to get it down for me the next morning and he didn’t even tell me he was the one who did it.” you mutter with a shake of you head.

             “But I was here the next day, and I put it on the bottom shelf.” Steve prompts, putting the pieces together as to what was going on.

             “FRIDAY, go to the next night, fast forward,” You say, watching intently as people whiz quickly on the screen, including Steve putting the dishes away, as he said. Leaning against the counter, you and Steve waited as the foot traffic stopped and the lights went off, “I don’t understand, how did it-“ but you were cut short when the lights turned back on around 2 am, and Bucky walked in, opened the cupboard, and put your mug on the top shelf. “Pause, please.” You ask FRIDAY and the picture stops. “Why would he do that?” Frowning, you ask the question more to yourself than to Steve. “Go to 24 hours later please,” And at the same time the next night, you saw Bucky come in and move your mug yet again. “I don’t understand.”

             “Well, you said you asked him for help the first day, right?”

             “Yeah and the next day I was just going to grab a stool but he grabbed it for me before I could.” Frowning in thought, you dismiss FRIDAY and close the screen.

             “It could be because he liked helping you?” Steve offered, hoping you’d pick up on what was happening. You were smart, just oblivious sometimes. “That was the day he went to the farmer’s market with you, right? It could be that that gave him an excuse to be by you? You could ask him about it.”

             “Could be.” You nod, staring to understand what was going on. “I’ll ask him about it.”

             And by ask you meant wait until 2 am and catch him in the act.

             At around 1:45 you crept softly into the kitchen, keeping the lights off so Bucky wouldn’t think anything was out of the ordinary. Waiting in the darkness, you felt your heartbeat pick up with nerves. What if Steve was wrong? But why else would Bucky move your mug every day? When you heard footsteps approaching, you panicked and scurried softly away, staying low and peaking around the corner as Bucky entered the kitchen. You knew it was weird to spy, but you didn’t have the courage to confront him. You figured, tomorrow morning, you will quickly try to get the cup yourself without him interfering, and if he does, you’ll stay up the next night and confront him for sure.

* * *

             “Good morning, Bucky!” You try to sound as normal as possible as you stroll into the kitchen.

             “No nickname this morning?” He asks, a small amused smile on his lips that makes your heart swell with happiness.

             “To be honest I’m running out of them. I thought about Buckaboo but that just sounds weird.” You laugh when he scrunches up his nose at the nickname, “See?” You tease as you open up the cupboard and prepare yourself to jump on the counter again. After making sure it was dry this time, of course. Putting your hands on the counter, you jump up, but as soon as your feet leave the ground you feel two strong hands on your waist, lifting you to reach your mug. After you clasped onto your mug tightly, he lowered you back to the ground. “Thank you,” You murmured, turning around to face him.

             “Of course,” Bucky smiled, lingering in front of you for a moment before returning to his spot at the breakfast bar. After pouring your coffee and adding the amount of sugar you like, you took your place next to him, falling into your usual routine of talking at him. Though, today, he talked back, looked up from the paper, made eye contact, added comments here and there. You didn’t think you had been happier in years.

             “I was thinking about going for a walk this morning, would you like to join me?” Bucky asks softly during a lull in conversation, turning the tables. You can tell he’s nervous by the way he’s fidgeting and avoiding eye contact, but his words are smooth, probably from rehearing it repeatedly.

             “I’d love to, Bucky.” You grin.

* * *

             You walked along the streets until you reached a small park. Collectively, you decided to sit on a bench and people watch for a bit, enjoying the nice weather.

             “Bucky,” You say after a moment and he turns to look at you, “You do know there’s a video camera in the kitchen, right?” Watching as his face goes void of color and he starts to stammer something out but you just smile softly and hold up your hand to stop him. “Just tell me why, I want to understand.”

             He takes a deep breath, looking down at his hands as he tries to formulate the right thing to say. “Every morning you always ask me to do something, anything, with you, to show, what I think and hope is, your affection. Or at least that you aren’t afraid of me, and enjoy my company. I guess I was looking for my own version of that to show you the same things.”

             Scooting over on the bench you wrap your arms around him and pull him into a tight hug, “Thank you,”

             “I looked up the full meaning of daffodils too, by the way.” He says as you pull away, and it was your turn for your face to go pale.

             “I knew you shared the same sentiment about your title as I did, so I figured a flower that marked the end of winter would be appropriate.” You quickly tried to cover your tracks, hoping that was all that came up when he searched the meaning.

             “It’s not unrequited.” He says simply, ignoring your explanation.

             “it isn’t?” You choke out, you voice small as you look at him.

             “It isn’t.” A large and genuine smile graces his lips, “Thank you for not giving up on me every time I turned you down for your morning activities.”

             “Of course,” A bashful blush rises to your cheeks as you glance between his eyes and his smile.

             “Can I kiss you?” He asks softly, and when you nod he closes the distance between you two, pressing a soft and sweet kiss to your lips.

* * *

[Extended ending]

             “What the hell is this?” Natasha throws a tabloid magazine down on the table in front of you and Bucky as you drink your morning coffee together the next day.

             You pick up the magazine and study the front page with your boyfriend. There was a picture of you two kissing in the park plastered across the front and smaller photos of your morning walks and farmer’s market visit scattered in the corners, headline reading “INFERNO AND WINTER SOLDIER COUPLE NAME: TEMPERATE?”

             “Temperate, I dig it.” You nod, tossing the magazine back at the other woman and turning to Bucky, “What do you think?”

             “I feel like Sam personally called them to give them that idea.” He chuckles with a shake of his head.

             “I  _meant_  what the hell as in why didn’t you tell me you were together!” Natasha scolded you with her hands on her hips.


End file.
